


Let's Go Home

by Varewulf



Series: SE.RA.PH. At Peace [6]
Category: Fate/Extella, Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, let Nero fuck, other short appearances
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-04
Updated: 2018-08-04
Packaged: 2019-06-21 17:41:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15563034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Varewulf/pseuds/Varewulf
Summary: Elizabeth Bathory wakes up to find herself face to face with Kishinami Hakuno. The last remaining Master on SE.RA.PH. makes the bold claim that she has come to take Elizabeth home.





	Let's Go Home

**Author's Note:**

> I've wanted to do something like this for Elizabeth for a while, and I figured that while I was riding this wave of creative energy, it might be a good time for it.
> 
> I really love Elizabeth, and she is very important to me. Sure, she has a tendency to screw things up, and she's bad at being a good girl, but I don't think it's fair to leave her as a villain. Especially when it isn't really by her own will. Playing the side stories in Extella, and learning how she became what she was there, made me really angry at Archimedes. I think Elizabeth fits better as a troublemaker, rival, and occasional antagonist rather than a straight-up villain, and I was sad Extella didn't redeem her somehow. Maybe in Extella Link?
> 
> So yeah, I wanted her to be part of the gang, and just get in harmless trouble, like wrecking a kitchen while trying to make cookies, or something along those lines. Very good girl, even if she's bad at it. She tries.

Lancer Elizabeth Bathory dreamt. She had held a surprise concert for her rival, and the little squirrel, but they had chased her off. Just because her music attracted a few attack programs. She couldn't control who her fans were. It wasn't fair. She had put on a good show. It wasn't fair. Maybe she should have asked permission first, but... it wasn't fair. Then she had been attacked, and then... pain. In her body. In her mind. In her soul. She couldn't escape it, she couldn't fight it. Afterwards... a new purpose. Yet...

A tear rolled down her cheek. "Help me, little squirrel..."

Something warm and soft wiped away the tear. "I'm here, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth's eyes shot open. A familiar figure was crouched, and smiling, in front of her. She wondered if it was part of the dream, but the figure wasn't wearing the white dress she was used to seeing. They were wearing a soft pink top, and a yellow skirt. Very summery, but not something that Elizabeth was likely to dream up. So that meant...

With a speed and agility only a Servant could possess, Elizabeth rolled away, and sprung onto her feet into a defensive crouch about five metres away from Kishinami Hakuno. She swiftly glimpsed to the sides, but couldn't see anyone else present. So her focus returned solely to the last remaining Master on SE.RA.PH. How had she gotten that close?

"What are you doing here, little squirrel?" she growled, and flexed her fingers. They were as sharp as claws, if need be. And her tail swung about, ready to strike. Even without a lance, she was deadly.

Hakuno stood up. "I've come to take you home, Elizabeth," she said, seeming suspiciously unconcerned about being so close to an enemy Servant's striking range. An act?

"Home?" Elizabeth said mockingly. A laughable notion. "What do you mean 'home'?"

Hakuno extended her hand. "Come back with me, Elizabeth. Things just aren't the same without you. Even Nero misses you, even if she won't say it out loud."

There was no deception in those words, and there was a slight twinge of longing in Elizabeth's heart. She ignored it. "What do I care? The only way I'm going 'home' is as your conqueror," she boasted.

"Elizabeth, please," Hakuno said. "I would have come sooner, but you're a hard girl to find. I'm sorry."

Elizabeth felt anger welling up. "And for that you came out here alone? Oh, you'll be sorry, alright." She shifted her stance, getting ready to spring into action.

"Alone? Of course not," Hakuno said quite casually. "You really think those two would have let me do that? I simply told them to stand back for now. I'd rather not fight."

That kind smile and relaxed attitude grated on Elizabeth's nerves. "Fool. I can easily kill you before they're able to get here," she said, and flashed her fangs.

"I'm sure you could," Hakuno conceded. "But I've become a lot better at handling this since last time," she said, and lifted her hand. The Regalia's gem twinkled as if on cue. "So who knows? I might be able to hold you off just long enough."

Elizabeth hesitated, wondering just how close Nero and Tamamo were. Whether Hakuno was bluffing, and had brought along more Servants. Someone who could conceal their presence, maybe. Because this seemed like an awfully big gamble. Sheer folly. There had to be more to it. Everything Hakuno had said sounded like she was speaking truthfully, but the best lies were told with a straight face. Yet, the Moon Cell's Authority was not to be underestimated. Even Velber feared it. The little squirrel had been able to pull off some amazing feats during the war, even without proper experience. If she had more control of it now...

No, it had to be a bluff. She had to be underestimating Elizabeth.

"I think I know how to cleanse you, Elizabeth. How to return you to normal," Hakuno said. A bold claim.

"You 'think'?" Elizabeth spat. This was really getting under her skin. "This is my normal now, little squirrel. I am more powerful than ever. More than anyone in this accursed world!"

"Hm, I wonder..." Hakuno's clever smile made Elizabeth grit her teeth. "Please, let me help you," she implored.

"I don't need your 'help'!" Elizabeth hissed, and lunged.

She could see Hakuno raise her hand, but it was too slow. Much too slow. She could simply lop that hand off, and take the full power of the Regalia for herself. At this point she easily had enough power to handle it. _Or if I can't, maybe it'll put an end to all this_. The thought surprised her, and caused her to hesitate as she wondered where it had come from.

"I'm really sorry about this, Elizabeth," she heard Hakuno say, and before she could ponder the meaning of those words, there was a flash.

Pain. Searing pain. In her body. In her mind. In her soul. Something was pushing inside her. Changing her. Such pain. Yet unlike the last time she had felt pain like this, it felt strangely warm. Caring. Not cold and poisonous. She didn't like it. She did like it? Her thoughts felt like they were at war with each other.

She forced her eyes open. The little squirrel stood there, with a sad, sympathetic look on her face. The Regalia shone with immense power. A vast amount of data flowing out of it, and towards Elizabeth. Into her.

"No... I won't let you..." Elizabeth hissed, and took a heavy step forwards. Then another. Slight surprise showed on Hakuno's face, but she still didn't look concerned. Elizabeth would give her something to be concerned about.

She reached her hand forward. One more step. One more. She managed to reach the little squirrel's shoulder, and grab on. Hakuno felt immovable, steady as a rock, no matter how hard Elizabeth tried to pull her off balance. Had she become that weak? Or was Hakuno truly that strong? Changing tactics, Elizabeth managed to pull herself even closer instead. She just needed a little bit more, and... she opened her mouth, and sank her fangs into Hakuno's shoulder. The little squirrel twitched. Yet still she didn't stop.

Elizabeth gasped. "Please... stop... I can't..." she pleaded. She could feel that she was losing something, something that didn't want to go.

"I'm so sorry," Hakuno whispered. "I wish I knew a better way."

Elizabeth shrieked. Whatever was happening, it was happening right now. She dropped to her knees, clutching her head. It felt about to explode. And then... it was as if something burst, and everything stopped.

The light was gone. The pain was gone. The poison that had been clutching her was... gone. She felt terribly weak. Something held her. Supported her. She smelled blood, but couldn't even work up the energy to go for it. Why was her vision so blurry?

"Elizabeth?" A kind voice called for her.

She knew that voice. "Why didn't you... come for me... sooner?" she asked.

"I'm really sorry," the voice said. "Let's go home."

Home. That sounded nice.

Other voices came along.

"Praetor!"

"Husband!"

"I'm fine. It's over."

"You're bleeding!"

"You're far too reckless, you know?"

Elizabeth's consciousness faded out.

* * *

Lancer Elizabeth Bathory dreamt. Someone gave her a pink jumper. It was warm. It smelled nice. She clutched it to her chest like a treasure.

Her mind felt hazy as she opened her eyes. At first everything was blurry, but her vision slowly came into focus. There was a roof over her head. She didn't recognise it. There was something soft beneath her. And she wasn't alone. Turning her head to the right, she found some big, red eyes staring at her. Then a small gasp, and a swirl of white hair followed by the sound of small feet running across a hard floor.

"Muuuummmm, she's awake!"

Elizabeth wondered if this was some new dream, but it didn't quite feel like one.

"You're quite the troublemaker, you know," said a voice to her left.

Her head felt heavy, but she managed to turn it around to look in the other direction. Yellow eyes. Pink hair. Brown, fuzzy ears. Wearing a familiar blue dress.

"If it was up to me, we'd have dumped you in a ditch somewhere, but our Husband's kindness is infinite. Seeing fit to save even your scrawny hide." The foxwoman was smiling, but it was condescending rather than kind.

"Caster..." This definitely wasn't a dream. Perhaps a nightmare.

Tamamo sighed. "How am I supposed to keep picking on someone who looks this pitiful?" she said in a dramatic 'woe is me' kind of tone. Then after a pause: "Welcome back, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth blinked rapidly. "W-what?"

"Hm? I didn't say anything," Tamamo chirped. "Ta ta!" She bounced out of the room, pausing only to give the person who was entering a kiss on the cheek.

"How are you feeling, Elizabeth?" Hakuno asked as she walked closer to the bed.

"Ugh... how do you think I'm feeling?" Elizabeth grumbled. "Like someone ran a freight train in one ear, and out the other."

Hakuno pulled up a chair, and sat down. "I'm really, truly sorry," she said earnestly.

Elizabeth was momentarily speechless. Then she quickly turned away, so she didn't have to look at that caring expression. "Y-you'd better be!" she said.

Hakuno let out a small, annoying giggle. "I'll let you rest some more. The mana in the palace should hopefully make you feel better soon." She got up. "Welcome home," she said, and headed back out.

"Yeah, yeah," Elizabeth mumbled. Once she heard the door close, she finally turned her head to look at it. "I'm back," she said quietly.

**Author's Note:**

> Elizabeth will surely be on her feet to cause more trouble soon enough.


End file.
